the nUUsletter

October Sunday Volunteers

10/9: Could You Throw the Switch?
Worship Leader: Rev. Jeff Briere
BOT: Daidee Springer
Greeters: Brian King & Margaret Hudson
Usher: Lee Adler
Piano: Steve Hollingsworth

10/16: The Karma of Loneliness
Worship Leader: Barry Graham
BOT: Fred Tregaskis
Greeters: Catherine Long & Jesse Mozzini
Usher: Danielle Justice
Piano: Marcia Jenison

10/23: ¿Que Pasa?
Worship Leader: Rev. Jeff Briere
BOT: Charlotte Davis
Greeters: Walt Jenison & Marcia Jension
Usher: Milton White
Piano: Evelyn Wood

10/31: Heavy Disguise
Worship Leader: Rev. Jeff Briere
BOT: Rich Dwyer
Greeters: Sandy Lusk & Noel Dillard
Usher: Joshua Goldman
Piano: Linda Pehlman

Pastoral Letter from Bill Sinkford

Dear Friends,

I write to you as we approach Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement for the
Jewish people, a time when they seek forgiveness for past mistakes and
commit themselves to living moral lives, striving again to have their
names written in the Book of Life.

We Unitarian Universalists do not have such an annual holiday of
atonement, but I have often wished that we did. I am thinking about
atonement particularly during this 200th anniversary year of Hosea
Ballou's A Treatise on Atonement. This theological statement of
Universalism, asserting that all people are worthy of salvation and may
find it if they act in accordance with what they know to be good and
moral, has called generations to align themselves so that they stand on
the side of love.

It is a difficult time, as our hearts and minds and media waves are
filled with images of suffering, war, and human misery. And yet I
believe it is at exactly such moments that we must commit ourselves,
through acts of faith, to stand on the side of love.

Our nation remains at war. 140,000 US women and men occupy Iraq, with
thousands more still mired in Afghanistan. American, Iraqi and Afghani
citizens are dying daily, leaving loved ones bereft and wailing. Before
this war began, I spoke out with many religious leaders to question its
wisdom. After our government embarked on war, however, it was less
clear to me what it meant to stand on the side of love, both
domestically and internationally.

It is now clear to me that the time has come for a phased and scheduled
withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. I have conveyed my beliefs to the
White House and Congress, and our UUA advocacy staff remain active in
the Win Without War coalition. I am also aware that hundreds of you
visited the nation's capitol last month to stand up for your own beliefs
about this war, and that one of our clergy, David Blanchard of the First
UU society of Syracuse, NY, is fasting for an end to this war.

As a genocidal war rages in Sudan, I have felt compelled to speak out
and to act in order to focus more U.S. attention on the atrocities
occurring there. The UUA is active in the Save Darfur Coalition, and I
will soon be taking a trip around the globe to Africa with Dr. Charlie
Clements, President of the UU Service Committee. My forbears and my
faith call me there, to what I know will be a profound and disturbing
journey.

The shame that I feel as I witness our government's involvement with
torture in our detention centers and all around the globe also calls me
to atonement. Many of us gathered in the nation's capital last month as
part of the UUSC's Stop Torture campaign to hear torture victims and
their surviving family members speak the unspeakable. It was my
privilege to lead an interfaith delegation, walking with these who have
been broken in body but not in spirit, to Capitol Hill so that elected
officials could hear their stories. Once more, I was proud that
Unitarian Universalists and our interfaith friends chose to stand on the
side of love.

But we don't need to travel around the globe or meet with international
visitors to see despair writ large in the faces of others. Hurricane
Katrina, and the failure of our government to care for the most
vulnerable in their time of deepest need, has caused pain that will
endure for decades. I am pleased and proud to say that Unitarian
Universalists have now contributed almost two million dollars to the
UUA/ UUSC Gulf Coast Relief Fund. This generosity will allow us not
only to rebuild our UU congregations in the area, but will allow us to
reach out, with both immediate and long-term support, to the communities
of all faiths who are most in need in the wake of this tragedy.

No matter what we do, however, we may feel that our small actions are
insignificant, that we do not have the skills or the time or the
opportunity to choose life, to stand on the side of love. Yet even small
acts may have results we cannot imagine. Your own acts for love and
justice inspire me, and others, in ways you may never know. And please
be gentle with yourself, allowing yourself to risk even when you know
you may fail. As the Rev. Robert Eller-Isaacs, co-minister of Unity
Church-Unitarian in St. Paul, Minnesota, wrote in his Kol Nidre:

For remaining silent when a single voice would have made a difference,
We begin again in love... For each time that our greed has blinded us to
the need of others, We begin again in love... For losing sight of our
unity, We begin again in love...

In this time of difficulty and peril, let us, over and over, begin again
in love.

In faith,

The Rev. William G. Sinkford
President
Unitarian Universalist Association

Rehearsal Reflections

by Jeff Briere

For many years between high school and 1993, I called myself a “Teflon© Catholic.” When I was growing up and going to St. Joan of Arc grade school and attending church six days a week, the nuns and priests who were teachers threw a lot of religion at me. None (or very little) stuck. That’s why I called myself a “Teflon© Catholic.”

In those years, I thought I was unchurched, that I had no use for religion. But I realized a few years ago that I actually did go to church during that time. It was the church called theatre, and the congregants were the cast and crew of the show. We had a holy book (the script); we had a minister who loved us and cared for us (the director); we met regularly (rehearsal); we had small group ministries (cast parties) and ultimately, we were engaged in a common enterprise that was bigger than we were (the play). We connected on a deeper level than people who work next to each other in an office.

Was a time I finished one show and immediately joined another. And this went on for several years. I loved going to my new church, although I didn’t know I was going to church.

In the last ten years, I’ve had few chances to be involved in a play. I missed it, but I have been absolutely entranced with my new responsibilities as minister. So with some distance and a new perspective, I reluctantly agreed to participate in The Exonerated. You can read about the show on page 4 of this nUUsletter.

In rehearsal now, as a supporting cast member, I have a lot of time to observe the cast. And what drew me into this church of the theatre so many years ago is happening again. I see people connecting on more than a superficial level. I see black people talking to white people, young talking to old and I hear a lot of laughter.

Right before rehearsal the other night, everyone was standing around drinking coffee and having the best conversations of their day. Kate, normally a stickler for organization and timeliness, let them continue until about fifteen minutes after we were scheduled to begin. “It’s so good to see people getting together,” she said. “It makes them a better ensemble.”

In the play, I spend most of my time offstage and out of the action, which is different for me. It’s been a long time since I played a bit part. As I sit there and watch, I notice that when they aren’t working, they talk to each other, give suggestions, help each other understand the meaning of certain passages. I cannot hear their exact words, but I know what they are saying.

They say, “I’m glad to be here with you. I like your work. Let’s see what we can do here.” And again I am reminded of my colleague who said, “God brings people together to create something.”

Cancer and Caring

by Fred Tregaskis

You spend over fifty years of your life working hard to preserve your health and then you learn that you have an incurable disease. How should you react? How do you react?

As for the “should,” I think a reaction script could not be written for everyone. How I did react is a result of a long lifetime of being a realist. I play the cards I am dealt, always with the goal of winning. We Cornish folk are made that way.

Some chain of physiological events, unexplainable because of our lack of knowledge, caused a lung scar to form decades ago and to now become malignant. How? Why? We don’t know enough to answer these questions but, if we did, I believe the answer would be the same to both questions.

“Why me?” is a different question, but the answer still would be the same: I was the one involved in that unknown chain of events. I leave the rest to the researchers. My job is to cope with the situation as it exists.

The outpouring of concern and support from family and friends is beyond expectations. I receive calls and cards daily. Many people tell me that Chris and I are in their thoughts. Some friends and family have my name on their prayer lists.

A Seventh Day Adventist friend is talking to the Lord about me in his daily period of worship. Another friend, a Reader in the Christian Science Church, brought literature to help me understand the power of Divine Mind Healing.

While I believe that none of these actions, by themselves, will make a difference in how successfully science can arrest the cancer, the unconditional love expressed by so many caring people makes life worth living. And, too, that love becomes the source of the energy and strength needed to fight the battle.

The Board Did It!

by Daidee Springer

At their meeting on September 14th the Board of Trustees, authorized a second nursery attendant for childcare from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm on Sundays; scheduled parking lot and playground dedication ceremonies for Sunday, November 20; voted to remove the decaying sign at the top of the driveway.

CHIONS

CHIONS will meet October 8th at 10:30. Flight from Fundamentalism is their program, presented by Karen Claypool. Karen will discuss how an intense study of the Bible combined with an introduction to the Kabbalah, a seminary course in New Testament Greek, a cursory study of the Aramaic language and idiomatic expressions, and a glimpse into Middle Easterners’ use of hyperbole and metaphor led her out of—rather than more deeply into—fundamentalism. She will explore fallacies of fundamentalism that have no biblical basis.

Karen Claypool is a linguist currently teaching German at the Center for Creative Arts in Chattanooga. She is also an adjunct instructor at UTC.

Dishwasher

Our new dishwasher is a marvel, cleaning and sanitizing a load every 90 seconds. However, the dishwasher does not scrape dishes nor scour coffee stains from inside cups. It does not automatically drain its water after the last load. And it does not shut itself off. It is not your father’s dishwasher. Before you wash dishes, please review the helpful directions posted on the cupboard above the dishwasher.

The Interdependent Web

by Steve Hollingsworth

These last days have provided a picture of what racism and classism and privilege look like. Racism is not about individual prejudice. Classism is not about individual poverty. And privilege is so often allowed to be invisible

People of all political persuasions have seen whatever they wished to see in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Everyone, however, has been troubled by the image of poor people, mostly of color, left without recourse.

Unitarian Universalists have responded generously, including members of our church. The 1300–plus dollars from our collections on September 4 and 11 have helped push the total of the UUA Gulf Coast Relief Fund over $1.1 million.

Visiting the websites for the UUA and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) and reading between the lines, I detect some interesting threads.

First, the fund-raising by both the UUA and UUSC is being pooled and both organizations hasten to explain the jurisdictional reasons to collect jointly and to forward the funds to the affected districts for distribution.

Second, the promise to spend a minimum of 95 cents of every dollar on direct aid is featured prominently.

Third, the option for donors to limit aid to community relief only is explicit.

Each of these shows both serious and petty aspects of the risky business of giving away money.

On point one, some UUSC members see the UUA as insufficiently dedicated to social justice. It is the same tension that exists between many social concerns groups and their own churches. UUs unite, however, to scale up, to seem relevant compared against huge efforts like the Red Cross and the Bush–Clinton Katrina Fund. When we believe in a cause, rightly and proudly we can put our “brand” on the aid we give.

Item two is the most often valid concern for givers. [steps on soapbox] Being hip to the biz of fund raising can make the dollars you give have a much greater impact. For instance, an unsolicited telephone call asking for money, in the name of a legitimate charity or political cause, is likely from a fund raising firm hired to work the phones. Such companies may keep 60 cents or more of every dollar as their commission. Most causes rely on such firms for some of their contributions because getting 40 percent of something is better than 100 percent of nothing. [steps down]

Even direct donations can be misspent in the eyes of givers when givers’ expectations are not in sync with the charity’s mission. The Alzheimer’s Association, for example, deliberately chooses to spend a substantial portion of its receipts on advertising—or public education in their view. I believe in their mission and support them but I understand why others may direct their gifts elsewhere.

As to thread three, I imagined the outcry: “My congregation looks after itself and that’s hard enough! Those other UU churches, didn’t they pay their insurance premiums?!” More seriously, givers must trust the people who will decide where the money goes. If you don’t believe that Mid–South District, for example, will award aid to a congregation only based on genuine need, by all means, restrict your gift.

In complete seriousness, we can all give more if we find whom we can trust and learn what problems we can address. The needs everywhere are so great and the attention and resources they get are so inadequate. In the cloud of every tragedy may the silver lining be our new capacity for giving.

Book Club

The Book Club discusses Dear Senator by Essie Mae Washington-Williams October 20, 7 pm at the church.

Green Action Plan Activities

by Sandy Kurtz

Write a Green Song! Several people are working feverishly on submissions for a green song for this church. Therefore, the deadline has been extended to allow for completion of these works. Send your entry in on the church e-mail contact page, and we will forwad it to Jesse Mozzini.

Create a Vegetarian Recipe! Please send your vegetarian recipe to Linda Helton or Marcia Jension. Use the e-mail contact page and we will happily forward your recipe to them.

Join an Ecoteam! The introductory meeting is Sunday, October 2nd at 1 pm and includes a light lunch. Your team will meet over a 4–6 month period to take green actions in your home that you select from a workbook.

Buy Earth–Friendly Products! Catalogs of earth–friendly products are available from Ecover www.ecover.com or call 800/449-4925 and from Gaiam Harmony www.gaiam.com or call 800/869-3446.

Buy an Earth-Friendly Car! Congratulations to Nicky Ozbek and Fred Tregaskis for their green decisions in purchasing new autos.

Privet Patrol! Thanks to Rev. Jeff Briere for hacking away all the privet around our sign on Navajo Drive, and many more thanks to Nancy Anderson and crew who eradicated (as much as possible) invasive species.

Interfaith Power & Light! On September 29th, we hosted a meeting with several other churches who wish to join forces in treating our earth with responsibility and respect. More meetings are scheduled.

Editor Wanted!

The nUUsletter needs a new editor. One skill and one resource are critical: proficiency with a word processing program and an e-mail account. Desirable traits are timeliness, consistency, a stylistic flair and attention to detail. If this is you, please see Jeff Briere.

Our President Speaks

by Daidee Springer

When David Reed called to ask me to run for president of the congregation, I was out of town. Upon returning, I called him back and listened to his pitch. I didn’t say no, but I didn’t say yes, either. I agreed to think about the idea but I assured him I would be “pleased as punch” if the nominating committee found someone else while I was vacillating. Two long weeks later, I said yes to the nomination; it was not a decision I made lightly.

I hesitated because I felt insecure and, I must admit, some-what selfish. How much time would I need to devote? Would being board president interfere with my travel plans? How would I react to the inevitable pressures and criticism every Unitarian Universalist board president is subjected to? Could I fill the giant shoes of my immediate predecessors, Buck O’Rear and Fred Tregaskis?

Immediately after becoming City Librarian in a suburb of Detroit, I turned things inside out. It was easy. So much needed doing. But here at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga we’re in a groove. We have an outstanding minister who inspires and builds the congregation. We have a dynamic, growing children’s Religious Education program led by a consummate professional. And we have a generous congregation that freely commits not only of its financial resources but also of its talents, time and yes, heart and soul.

I was fearful of messing up what was working.

I accepted the nomination after many conversations and much reflection. I love this church and I’m willing and honored to take an active role in helping it evolve and grow. We’re doing well, but much remains to be done. As someone forever concerned with the finances of the church, I know we need more income. Our religious education program is the core to our survival and we must fund it better. Neglecting to budget for leadership development and participation in denominational affairs hinders our vision and growth. We’ve demonstrated time and again what a generous congregation we can be so I’m confident we’ll come up with the money to fund our dreams.

We can be proud of our participation in the Interfaith Hospitality Network but it is only one part of the work we might be doing for social justice. I hope we’ll revive the Social Concerns Committee. This church has a proud history of advocating for civil and human rights. We need to continue that tradition. I know there are constituencies within the church to address local, national and global issues. We can make good use of UUA curricula to help us study and address these concerns. With the right nurturing study groups can grow into longer–term projects. Projects invite involvement and we grow.

I’m looking forward to the rest of the church year. I’m open to ideas, suggestions, comments, and even criticism. Let me hear from you. I look forward to our conversations.

Thomas Jefferson District Fall Leadership Conference

Date: October 14-15, 2005

Place: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Winston– Salem, 4055 Robinhood Road, Winston–Salem NC 27106

Title: “What We Are Learning from Breakthrough Congregations”

Keynote: Harlan Limpert, UUA District Services

Workshops: Creating Youth Worship Services, Adult RE Planning, Minister’s Panel, Accepting Allies, Where does Money Come From? Social Responsibility and several others.

For lodging and information, please visit the Thomas Jefferson District web site, www.tjd.uua.org.

Angel Nuus

Hail and hosannas for everyone involved with the successful Lovell Sisters concert. It was a smash!

Seraph Kent Slawson reluctantly drilled holes in his own sign so that we could display a Lovell Sisters sign for a couple weeks before the concert.

We had a strong cash gate, which was predicted by Michael “They’d–better–not–play–Rocky–Top” Walters. Michael earned his wings with a 12–hour stint as sound tech. If you didn’t get to hear the concert, ask the office for a copy of the CD. And thank Michael for an excellent job. Even Fred was impressed.

Many other angels flew into help us with the concert. Many thanks to Uncle Paul Adler, Rich Dwyer, Maddie Kertay, Leslie Walters, Tonia Durand, Bill Hull, Karl Hunt, Linda Helton, George Helton, Jesse Mozzini, Lee Adler and Kate Briere.

Can you believe it? The church even provided child care, thanks to Emily Snyder and Sarah Faulkenberry!

Golden wings with braided epaulets are hereby awarded to Joe Lewis for the signs his company do-nated to the Lovell Sisters Band promotion effort. It worked!

A seat of honor amongst the angelic host is reserved for Leslie O’Rear, who produced excellent posters & programs and tickets.

Diamond–studded silver wings, matching halo and a spray of laurel leaves goes to MozziniJustice, Inc., which underwrote the cost of the band.

And to anyone who bought a ticket, sold a ticket, donated a ticket or attended the concert, thank you for a memorable evening. Let’s do it again sometime.

The Exonerated

Live theatre returns to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga in October with a production of The Exonerated. Featuring thirteen actors from several churches, The Exonerated tells the stories of six people who lived on Death Row, but were freed before being executed.

These powerful stories are taken from interviews, court transcripts and news reports. Delbert is a poet, still living in the 60's, convicted of murder although he was several hundred miles away when the crime occurred. Kerry is a sensitive young man, who lost 22 years of his life in prison. Thinking that he could go home if he did, David confessed to a crime he did not commit. Now he stops the rain, but can’t stop the pain. Sunny is the only woman on Death Row in the entire country and exchanges sexy letters with her husband, also on Death Row. Gary is not bitter, even though police forced him to confess to murdering his parents, whom he loved. Robert was convicted of murdering a white girl despite evidence to the contrary. Although he is free today, he can’t get a license to race horses, his former occupation.

The Exonerated is directed by Kate Briere and features church members Rich Dwyer as Gary, Linda Pehlman as Sunny and Michael Walters as Kerry. Also featured are LaFrederick Thirkill as David, Paul Moss as Delbert, Meredith Brook as Sue, E’tienne Easley as Georgia, Thomas Evans as Robert and Janine Bruton as Sandra. Jerry Smith, Adam Miles and Jeff Briere play several small supporting roles. Backstage, church member Leslie Walters is assisted by Crystal Miles. Richmond Terry designed lighting. Sound effects and percussion by church member Roger Davis. In her initial outing as techno-geek, church member Tonia Durand is sound technician.

The Exonerated contains strong language and situations. Although no violence occurs on stage, it is present in the life of prisoners and plays a part in their memories today. Running time is 90 minutes.

Playdates: At UUCC, October 21 & 22; 8 pm, October 23, 2:30 pm. At the UTC Ward Theatre, October 29; 8 pm and October 30, 2:30 pm. Tickets are $8 and are available by calling 423/624-8152.